The European Commission is trying to figure out whether insurance laws should be changed to cover crashes caused by driverless cars. With no human in control of the cars, insurance companies are already rethinking who will be liable for the new technology.

The threat of extreme weather caused by climate change and the challenges it can pose to EU citizens and insurers were highlighted again last week by the floods in France, which killed four and cost millions.

The success of sharing economy firms offers new opportunities to insurers who see Uber drivers and Airbnb flat owners as a potential source of revenue. But setting up a safe environment for digital platforms, contractors, and users remains a challenge.